Home Theater system on a PC

[darfur]

I'm wondering how onboard digital audio outputs (asus p4p800e deluxe) compare to the digital output on an Audigy 2 for example. I am considering getting a home theater setup on my computer and if I can get by without getting a dedicated sound card then of course I will.

 

[Excelsior]

Well first off, what kind of home theater setup are you looking at?

A home theater in a box (HITB)?

Gonna put together a receiver/speaker/sub system yourself?

Logitech Z-5500s?

 

[darfur]

It would be out of a box or the 5500's but I'm leaning towards out of a box.

 

[imported_Kensai]

Dedicated > Onboard.

Most people are okay with onboard but dedicated is always better.

 

[darfur]

Originally posted by: Kensai
Dedicated > Onboard.

Most people are okay with onboard but dedicated is always better.

Well I'm not an audiophile but I do enjoy better than average sound. Would the onboard digital out at least get me to better than average if I'm playing a DVD with the DTS track for example?

 

[Excelsior]

What is your price range for an out of the box setup?

 

[darfur]

I'm willing to spend $300 for everything (meaning a sound card if needed).

 

[Gamingphreek]

Audigy 2 will have a lower CPU overhead, however sound quality should be the same as they are both using Digital Outputs.

If we were talking Analog the Audigy would be worlds better.

I would pick up the Chaintech AV-710 for $30. :thumbsup: excellent budget sound card.

-Kevin

 

[darfur]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Audigy 2 will have a lower CPU overhead, however sound quality should be the same as they are both using Digital Outputs.

If we were talking Analog the Audigy would be worlds better.

I would pick up the Chaintech AV-710 for $30. :thumbsup: excellent budget sound card.

-Kevin

I am only concerned with digital and not too concerned with cpu overhead.

 

[Excelsior]

What Gamingphreek said. I have the AV-710, and it is a nice card for the price.

For a HTIB, Id get this.

 

[darfur]

Originally posted by: Excelsior
What Gamingphreek said. I have the AV-710, and it is a nice card for the price.

For a HTIB, Id get this.

Gamingphreak also said that digital is digital. Will I see a difference with that sound card?

How coincidental. I set up that exact same system for a friend a little while back.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: darfur

Originally posted by: Excelsior
What Gamingphreek said. I have the AV-710, and it is a nice card for the price.

For a HTIB, Id get this.

Gamingphreak also said that digital is digital. Will I see a difference with that sound card?

How ironic. I set up that exact same system for a friend a little while back.

I haven't tried onboard digital, but I suspect it's not really going to make any difference if you get a soundcard to do it.
It should be a lot harder to screw up digital out for a motherboard maker than it is to screw up analog out.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: darfur

Originally posted by: Excelsior
What Gamingphreek said. I have the AV-710, and it is a nice card for the price.

For a HTIB, Id get this.

Gamingphreak also said that digital is digital. Will I see a difference with that sound card?

How ironic. I set up that exact same system for a friend a little while back.

I haven't tried onboard digital, but I suspect it's not really going to make any difference if you get a soundcard to do it.
It should be a lot harder to screw up digital out for a motherboard maker than it is to screw up analog out.

Yeah..I guess he would really be fine eitherway.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: darfur

Originally posted by: Excelsior
What Gamingphreek said. I have the AV-710, and it is a nice card for the price.

For a HTIB, Id get this.

Gamingphreak also said that digital is digital. Will I see a difference with that sound card?

How ironic. I set up that exact same system for a friend a little while back.

I haven't tried onboard digital, but I suspect it's not really going to make any difference if you get a soundcard to do it.
It should be a lot harder to screw up digital out for a motherboard maker than it is to screw up analog out.

Yeah..I guess he would really be fine eitherway.

If he wants to get a card though, then the Chaintech is of course the way to go for a non DDL card :thumbsup:

Maybe try the onboard digital out and see if it sounds alright, darfur. If it's working well, then stick to it, but if not then the Chaintech gets my vote for standard digital out.

If you want to game on a HT set, be aware that you aren't going to get true surround sound from either the Chaintech, onboard (except for soundstorm), or audigy cards in digital mode. You will get surround for things that were Dolby Digitally encoded already (DVDs for example), but games will only output in stereo. You can still have it output to all your speakers by setting your receiver on a 5 channel stereo mode or Prologic II, but it's not going to give you true surround sound.

Alternatives are
hooking up via analog to a receiver with 6 or 8 channel direct input (generally HTIB sets wont have this)
or
getting a soundcard that does DDL like the X-Mystique or Montego.

(or just don't worry about it 😉)

 

[darfur]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
or
getting a soundcard that does DDL like the X-Mystique or Montego.

(or just don't worry about it 😉)

I'm not a console gamer ;-)

Thanks for the advice, I'll look into that card if I'm not satisfied with the onboard.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: darfur

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
or
getting a soundcard that does DDL like the X-Mystique or Montego.

(or just don't worry about it 😉)

I'm not a console gamer ;-)

Thanks for the advice, I'll look into that card if I'm not satisfied with the onboard.

Alright then, shouldn't be any problem for movies and music then using the onboard or Chaintech then :thumbsup: